WOULD a Neighbourhood Development Plan be appropriate for Launceston? A public meeting is to be held on February 4 in the Town Hall Guildhall to discuss that very question.

Starting at 7.30pm local residents are being encouraged to attend to have their voices heard and to debate whether a plan could empower the community to make decisions on its future growth.

This will be the third time the town council has discussed the possibility of pursuing a Neighbourhood Plan.

During a full council meeting in November of last year a Neighbourhood Plan was once again proposed. A working group was subsequently set up by councillors to explore the feasibility of a plan for the town. The working party includes councillors Joan Heaton, John Harris, Leighton Penhale and Paul O’Brien.

The aim of a Launceston Neighbourhood Development Plan — according to the working group — is to allow people to have their say on ‘the building of shops, housing developments and employment areas — the number, the location, and even the design’. Comments regarding what infrastructure is needed to accompany any future developments is also being sought.

Speaking on behalf of the working group, Cllr Heaton said: “A Launceston Neighbourhood Plan has been mooted before and rejected. We are introducing the project again and emphasising that this will neither cost council time nor money. Outside funding is available for Neighbourhood Plans from official bodies and, in fact, Neighbourhood Plans should not be funded by rate payers. Ideally they should also be led by an autonomous steering group with terms of reference, a chairman, treasurer and secretary and committee.

“When local communities are empowered to lead and influence decision-making, it makes a real difference to their area. People with passion and enthusiasm can use neighbourhood planning as a means to changing their neighbourhoods for the better.

“Producing a neighbourhood plan has advantages over other kinds of plan (such as parish or community plans) because it enables communities to take the lead in their own neighbourhoods in producing part of the statutory development plan for the area.

“Neighbourhood Plans have real legal force. One of the main advantages of a Neighbourhood Plan is that the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) charged on new developments increases from 15% capped to 25% uncapped for towns and parishes with a Neighbourhood Plan. This would be passed to the town council for the benefit of the residents. For me, that tips the argument. A Neighbourhood Plan would benefit Launceston — this would be a winner. Please get involved.”

In Cornwall, 137 town and parish councils are already engaging with the Neighbourhood Plan.

In support of plans, Cornwall Council’s ward member for Launceston North and North Petherwin Cllr Adam Paynter, said: “I support the potential of Launceston developing its own Neighbourhood Development Plan. This enables local people to have a say in what happens in their area in relation to housing, jobs and infrastructure. The plan has to be in line with the county wide ‘Local Plan’, so it can’t be a plan to stop any development.

“The most recently adopted Neighbourhood Plan in Cornwall was St Stephen’s by Launceston Rural Parish. This has taken several years to complete so isn’t something that happens over night! Of the 213 parish and town councils, 137 are currently engaged in the process of neighbourhood planning, so it is popular and deemed worthwhile by those communities.”

However, Mayor of Launceston Dave Gordon said the prospect of a Neighbourhood Plan had been put to the council before with no success, but this public meeting would be the first step in gauging the local ‘appetite’ for such a plan.

He said: “The idea of a Neighbourhood Plan is not the first time that council has considered the concept. It was raised at a full council meeting in November 2019, and it was agreed that a working group was to be formed to look into the feasibility for such a plan.

“This public meeting is the first step in getting feedback from the residents of Launceston, and to see if there is an appetite for a Neighbourhood Plan and all that it entails.

“Neighbourhood Plans can be seen as a way to protect a community from unwanted development, and such a plan would take about three years to be completed and adopted (maybe even longer).

“The feedback from the public session on February 4 will be fed back to full council for debate, and full council will then consider the next stage to be taken which will be to either continue with research into the viability of a Neighbourhood Plan or not.

“This will be the third time council has looked into the Neighbourhood Plan idea, with both previous attempts failing to be adopted by full council.”

All are welcome to attend.